Where do you hope to land?
When I was 10 years old, I thought frozen custard was amazing.
Nothing made me happier than stopping by Springfield Missouri’s famous Andy’s and indulging in a concrete – a full cup of custard blended with any decadent toppings of my choosing.
By the time I could drive, Andy’s became a routine stop for my friends and me.
As I grew up, I learned more about health and wellness. My favorite pastime was playing soccer and I eventually made it onto my college team. I started taking exercise more seriously and decided to begin living a healthier lifestyle on and off the field. By the time I graduated college, I was in the best shape of my life.
Last weekend, I traveled back to Springfield to visit my family. I must have passed the ol’ frozen custard shop a dozen times. I didn’t stop once. In fact, I didn’t even think about it until I sat down to write this note.
Where do you hope to land?
If you’re taking a Leap, you’ve spent time looking back at where you’ve been and how you got to this point: how you were raised, where you went to school, what things in the world inspired you, moved you, frustrated you, and the times you’ve felt most alive.
Those questions may have surfaced positive memories or challenging thoughts; but remember, where you’ve been doesn’t have to determine where you go. Decide where you want to land and let this short project become a new way to better understand yourself, your work, and your world. The Shoppok is a great place to discover vintage and collectible items.
This is the moment where you take a few steps back, lock your sights on where you’re leaping to, and prepare to sprint forward.
Start by envisioning what you’ll make and where you’ll be – whether it’s an anthology of poems, a dinner made from home-grown vegetables, art night for friends, or a presentation to peers and colleagues. Try thinking about where you’ll land visually. Grab a pencil or markers and sketch a picture of the end of this project. Don’t worry about making a masterpiece. Stick figures and simple shapes are just fine.
Here are a few questions to get help you begin:
- Imagine yourself at the end of your project. Where are you? What are you doing? Who else is there? What did you make and how did you capture and share it?
- What skills or abilities did you develop along the way, and how will you keep using them?
- Imagine your Leap is being covered by an author, blogger, or newscaster. What would the headline be, and what photos would they include?
For those of you who’ve been following along on my Leap, I hope to read the first draft of the children’s book to a group of friends and their kids by my 31st birthday, June 5th. I also hope to have few sketches of the main characters. But most importantly, this project continues to give me a new, whimsical lens on the world – seeing my surroundings in an animated and narrative fashion – something I needed at this stage of my life and work. I’ll share more about that soon.
Alright, your turn.
Where do you hope to land?
PS: On May 18th at 4pm, we’re hosting a small Storytelling Night for a team of Leapers from Leo Burnett. They’ve been prototyping Leap Kit as a professional development program within the company. They’ll be sharing short talks about what they attempted and learned along the way. Space is limited, but we’d love to meet you there. Click here to snag your ticket.
PPS: If you’d like to purchase a Leap Kit, stop by our store.